Details

Ultramarine Blue is a synthetic inorganic blue pigment consisting of a double silicate of aluminum and sodium with sulfide and occurs in nature as a component of the semi-precious stone, lapis lazuli. Processes to make the artificial pigment were devised by Jean Baptiste Guimet (1826) and by Christian Gmelin (1828); but while Guimet kept his process a secret, Gmelin published his and thus became the inventor of "artificial ultramarine."

Pigment: Ultramarine Blue (Greenish Shade)

Note: Colors swatches are shown in mass tone, at top, mixed with an equal amount of water and brushed out toward the bottom. All pictures of color swatches in this web site are only approximations of the actual color of the watercolor paint. We have taken every care to match the color in these pictures on calibrated color monitors to the actual color. However, because of the wide variance in color monitors the results you get may vary.

Color Information

Single Pigment:

Ultramarine Blue (Greenish Shade)

Binder:

Gum Arabic

Pigment Information

Color:

Blue

Colour Index:

Pigment Blue 29 (77007)

Chemical Name:

Sodium Sulfide Aluminosilicate

Chemical Formula:

Na2OSAl2O3SiO2

Properties

ASTM Lightfastness:

I

Opacity:

Semi-Transparent

Tinting Strength:

High

Staining:

Average

Note: Some separation of pigment and medium may occur in Rublev Colours Watercolors and is a natural process when no stabilizers are added to paint to prevent this from occurring.